Soil types

In Malta the spatial pattern of soil types is very intricate, both semi-natural and agricultural areas and different soil types often occur within a single field or within a distance of few meters. In the national soil inventory of the Maltese Islands (MALSIS) established in 2014, soils were described according to the criteria of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources. Seven major soil reference groups were identified: Leptosols, Vertisols, Calcisols, Luvisols, Cambisols, Regosols and Arenosols. Soils were also classified into Soil Landscape Units, which consist of soil containing a range of soil types which are likely to have similar management characteristics. The soil landscapes are divided into semi-natural landscapes with a low human impact and man-made landscapes where human influence is demonstrated by the extensive terracing of slopes, creation of ‘made ground’ or intensive cultivation. Key to abbreviations of the soil landscape types: BCs – Blue Clay slopes; BCTm – Blue Clay moderate terraces; BCTs – Blue Clay steep terraces; BCsp – Blue Clay spring; BS – Blown sand; BST – Blown sand terraces; Clf – Cliffs; CTm – Coralline moderate terraces; CTs – Coralline steep terraces; CTv - Coralline shallow terraces; Ga – Garrigue; GTm – Globigerina moderate terraces; GTs - Globigerina steep terraces; GTv - Globigerina shallow terraces; M – Marsh; U – Urban; VF – Valley fill; W – Woodland.